Police probe beating death

Keith Paul

Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2002 | 10 a.m.

No arrests have been made in the bludgeoning death of a man who drove a truck through a cinder block wall Monday, but Metro Police officials expect arrests will be made soon.

"We have forensic evidence and hope that there will be an arrest or arrests in a couple of weeks if not sooner," Capt. Dennis Cobb said. "We have information that at least one person who detectives spoke with (Monday night) gave a story that doesn't match the evidence.

"We are not sure if he is the assailant, but detectives are going to go back and talk with him again."

Kristopher Gregory, 21, was apparently beaten to death with cinder blocks knocked loose when the truck he was driving crashed into the wall Monday about 7 p.m. at an apartment complex at Rainbow and Charleston boulevards.

Another man, Jesse Covington, 24, remains in critical condition in University Medical Center.

Gregory and Covington, who were in the truck, apparently got into an argument with some people at a convenience store near the apartment complex Monday. The pair apparently got into a fight and then got back into the truck to flee, Sgt. Rocky Alby of Metro's homicide unit said.

The pair may have tried to run over some people involved in the fight when the truck crashed into the wall, Alby said.

Suspects then grabbed the blocks knocked loose from the wall and beat the two men with them, police said.

The truck's cab broke through the wall that separates the complex from an office building at Lorenzi Street and Charleston.